MICHAEL COLLINS -- 96th INFANTRYKILLED IN ACTION AT FORT HARRISON - Michael Collins, who was born inCounty Cork, Ireland, enlisted in the 96th Infantry in Champlain whenthe recruiter, Captain James Sweeney of Company F, was looking for mento fill out the ranks of his company. He chose Michael to be one of hiseight corporals on November 15th, and he was mustered into theregiment in Plattsburgh on November 25, 1861.The 96th left for Washington on March 11, 1862, after drilling at thePlattsburgh barracks for the winter months. At the end of the month,they became part of General McClellan's armada transporting 121,500 men,44 artillery batteries, 1,150 wagons, over 15,000 horses, and tons ofequipment and supplies to Fortress Monroe where they began their marchnorth on the Virginia Peninsula.By the end of July, the 96th was just outside Richmond. Theyparticipated in the Seven Days' Battles and McClellan withdrew histroops to Harrison's Landing in early July and they were back atFortress Monroe by the end of the month.> The regiment was ordered to North Carolina in December to guard> coastal waters from privateers trying to deliver goods to the> Confederates. After fighting along the New Bern to Goldsboro corridor> for most of 1863, they returned to Newport News, VA, for a few months> before returning to North Carolina.>> At the beginning of 1863, Michael was returned to the ranks but by> February 1964, he had re-enlisted in Coinjock, NC. The 96th was> ordered to the Petersburg/Richmond battlefield and 4between May and> September they fought in many major battles along the James River. On> September 29, 1864, during the second phase of the Battle of Chaffin's> Farm, Michael was killed in action at Fort Harrison on the southern> end of the line -- one of 13 men from the 96th who were killed in> action there.>> Although there is a national cemetery at Fort Harrison, Michael is not> buried there, and probably remains in an unknown grave on the> battlefield.
